Airlines feeling nCOV pinch as China-bound passengers seek refunds, rebooking

Domestic airlines said passengers are seeking refunds or rebooking trips to China amid the threat of the deadly novel coronavirus (nCOV) which is spreading from its source in Wuhan City in China to other cities as distant as Chicago and Paris.

Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and Philippines Air Asia have given passengers the option to rebook or refund tickets to China until next month.

“We have been receiving and processing rebookings and refunds of trips for our China route though the number comprises a small percentage of total number of bookings,” Cebu Pacific spokesperson Charo Logarta Lagamon said in a text message.

Cebu Pacific, which serves over 20 million passengers annually, has 55,000 seats per week allocated to China routes such as Beijing, Shanghai, Canton, Xiamen, Shenzen, Hong Kong and Macau.

Philippine Airlines also flies to Beijing, Shanghai, Canton, Xiamen, Jinjiang, Hong Kong and Macau.

Cebu Pacific and PAL said free rebooking and refunds will cover China flights until Feb. 29 this year. Philippines Air Asia, which flies to Canton, Shanghai, and Shenzen, Hong Kong and Macau, said passengers with flights to “mainland China” can get refunds or credits.

Edited by TSB